“In T20 cricket, a hundred is always special,” Suryakumar told the broadcasters after India’s innings. “But it was also important for me to bat till the end, that’s what Hardik [Pandya, his partner in an 82-run stand for the fourth wicket] was telling me from the other end. Just try and play till the 18th-19th over, we need a score of 180-185, and really happy with the score on the board.
“I’m enjoying batting this way, I’ve been doing the same thing in the nets, all practice sessions and going out [to the middle], all these things happening, I’m very happy with that.”
In Mount Maunganui, India were 108 for 3 in the 13th over, when Hardik joined Suryakumar in the middle. “We [he and Hardik] had a word after the 15th and 16th over, that let’s try and take it deep,” Suryakumar said. “Because after Hardik, it was only [Deepak] Hooda and Washy [Washington Sundar] to come, and we wanted to maximise the last four overs. I’m really happy with the way things went.”
